Electric hair clipper



Feb. 20, 1951 c. VAN ARMBRUSTER ETAL. 2,542,378

ELECTRIC HAIR CLIPPER Filed Deo. 18, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l llllmf' m w i IIFEHI Feb. 20, 1951 c; VAN ARMBRusTER ETAL. 2,542,378 ELECTRIC HAIR CLIPPER Filed Deo. 18, 194'? -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1Q, )eo//Cyfm Patented Feb. 20, 1951 2,542,378 ELECTRIC HAIR Curran Cecil Van Armbruster, New Holland, Pa., and Eric Bylund, lacine, Wis., assignors to John Oster Manufacturing lompany,` lltaine? Wig, a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 18, 1947, Serial No. 792,394

3 Claimsl This invention relates to .electric hair clippers and has more particular reference to clippers of the type embodying detachable cutting head assemblies such as those of Patents 1,956,042 and 2,182,597 issued to John Oster April 24, 1934 and December 5, 1939 respectively.

The provision of readly detachable cutting heads for hair clippers of the type herein concerned has the advantage of affording interchangeability of heads for different types .of clip ping and the ready removability of the cutting heads to enable their sterilization.

In the past such cutting head assemblies Jwere customarily detachably connected with the clipper bodies by means including a permanent hinge carried either by the clipper body or the cutting head.

The main object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved readily detachable hinge connection `between the cutting head and the body of the hair clipper vwhich features simplicity and -low cost of manufacture but which assures adequate rigidity ofthe head while the same is in its operative cutting position.

vMore specifically this invention has as an object to provide a readily separable hinge connection between the body of a ha-ir clipper and its cutting head wherein cooperating hinge parts, one -fixed with relation to the cutting head and the other Xed with relation to the body `have a readily detachable connection with one another.

With the above and other ,objects in view, which appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herendisclosed invention may be made as come Within the V scope .of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two complete examples of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the front portion of a hair clipper having the improved readily separable hinge connection of this invention between the cutting head and the clipper body;

'Figure 2 is a detail view looking at the inner side of the cutting -head assembly and showing the body carried part of the hinge `connection separated from the body and engaged with the cutting head carried hinge part;

Figure 3 is a separated or group perspective View showing the cutting head, a portion of the iront of the clipper body to which the cutting head is adapted to be attached, and the elements of the readily separable hinge connection between the cutting head and the clipper body;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l, but illustrating a slightly modiled form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a top View of the .clipper shown in Figure 4 with portions of the .Cover broken away to better shoul the elements of the hinge connec- :tion between the cutting head and the clipper body; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the clipper shown in Figure 4 illustrating the cutting head detached from the clipper body.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts, the numeral le generally designates the body of an electric hair clipper, only the forepart ll of which is shown, As is usual in hair `clippers of the type herein concerned, the body vlll serves as a housing for the ,electric motor which drives the clipper and cooperates with a sheet metal cover I0' to enclose the driving instrumentalities v(not shown) by which .the drive .lever l2 is osullated.

The drive lever I2 projects from the from 0f the Aclipper body, which is .nlirled as at I3, and extends V toward the cutting head I4 Carried by the vbody at the extremity of the forepart Il thereof.

The cutting head comprises the usual Stationary cutting blade It, movable cutting blade l@ overlying the .top face of the Stationary blade @t the forward extremity thereof in the usual manner, and `a cutter tensioning spring il carried by the stationary blade "I5 for pressing the movable cutter iiatwise .against the top surface of the stationarycuttine blade. The tension Spring l1 also serves t0 vgustraiu the movable Cutting blade `I6 to lateral reciprocation and such reciprocaton is eiectedbyemeans, o f a driving connection between the forward extremity of the `drive lever ,I2 and the movable cutting blade which is effected in a well known manner.

`In accordance with this invention, the cutting head1# is readily detachably connected with the iorepart Il .of the clipper body by means of hinge parts or brackets 2.0 and 2| both formed as inexpensive sheet ,metal stampings. The bracket `2l] comprises a relatively ilat base 22 fiatwise engaged against the inclined .surface `I3 sul The hinge part 2i likewise comprises a rela-v tively fiat bcdyrportion 3@ overlying the'top side of the stationary cutting blade rearwardly of the movable cutter and fixed tothe stationary cutter by screws 3l which thread into tapped holes in the stationary blade. The screws Si also pass through the tension plate Il, the lower end of which lies between the hinge bracket 2i and the stationary cutting blade, to x the tension plate onto the stationary cutter.

The lower part of the body portion.3.0 projects rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the stationary cutting blade and is bent upwardly as shown best in Figure 3 to provide a hook 32 which acts as a socket to receive the fulcrum 2 on the body carried hinge part.

The engagement of the fulcrum in the socket 32 thus provides a hinge connection between the cutting head and-the clipper body which is established upon edgewise motion of the cutting assembly, cutting edge foremost, in a direction to hook the part 32 over the fulcrum 2i. The hinge connection thus allows atwise swinging motion of the cutting head on an axis remote from but parallel to the cutting edge of the head between an operative cutting position, as shown in full lines of Figure l, and an inoperative position such as indicated in construction lines and in which latter position the cutting head is readily detachable from the body in an obvious manner. Y

When in its operative cutting position, the cuttingvhead is held against edgewise motion in a direction to disengage the hinge connection by cooperating abutments 34 and 35 on the body and head carried hinge parts respectively. rlhe abutment is provided by the extremity of the folded-back portion 2t? of the body carried hinge part, while the abutment 35 constitutes the free edge of an upwardly struck lip 3S on the medial portion of the cutter carried hinge part 2l.'

Attention is directed to the fact that the abutments cooperate with one another only in the operative cutting position of the cutting'head, and that detachment of the head from the body requires fiatwise swinging motion of the head to carry the cutting edge thereof` away'frcm the body to thereby effect disengagement or disalignment of the abutments from one another.

Flatwise swinging motion of the cutting head out of its operative cutting position is normally lprecluded by a detent structure dii. The detent structure d includes a lip il at the upper edge of the head carried hinge partiti rolled back toward the body Sil of the hinge part 2i to be engaged by a spring i2 carried by the body carried hinge part 20 and shaped to be cammed under to snap behind the lip il upon motion of the cutting head to its operative cutting position; such engagement between the spring and the underside of the lip il exerting a substantial but yielding pressure on the lip by which the cutting head'is restrained against accidental displacement out of its operative cutting position. The spring 42 in cooperation with the lip il thus provides a latcld operable to releasably hold the cutting head assembled with the clipper body.

Inasmuch as the driving force applied to the movablev cutting blade by the oscillatory drive lever I2 has the tendency to swing or vibrate the kentire cutting head laterally in the direction of the hinge axis and in line with reciprocatory motion of the movable cutting blade, means is also provided to insure against lateral play of the cutting head at all times. For this purpose the y hinge part 2l on the cutting head assembly is provided with a pair of laterally spaced nan-ges 45 struck upwardlyfrom the opposite side edges of the body of the part 2l, with the flanges con-v verging slightly toward their outer end portions.

Cooperating flanges it struck downwardly from the opposite side edges of the hinge part 2i) on the clipper body and having a slight outward divergence are adapted to engage over the outer sides of the flanges l5 on the cutter Ycarried' hinge part with a wedge-like action upon pivotal motion of the cutting head to its operative cutting position. It will be noted that these interengaging anges on the two hinge parts have their engaging surfaces disposed crosswise of the line of reciprocation of the movable cutting blade and that the same are located close to the movable cutting blade and remote from the hinge axis about which the cutting head SllligS. f

In the operative cuttingposition of the head, therefore, the detent-like latch, the interengaging wall surfaces of the anges c5 and |15, and the engaging abutments YSli and B Ycooperate with one another to eliminate all play between these parts. In this respect it is desired to point out that the engagement of the detent spring 42 with the underside of the lip 4i on the hinge part 2| is such as to exert a force on the cutting head assembly tending to swing the saine on its hinge axis inwardly toward the adjacent end ci the clipper body thereby assuring secure wedging of the interengaging flanges 45 and i6 together. To detach the cutting head from the clipper body it is only necessaryto apply a force on the cutting head in a direction to swing the cutting edge thereof awayfrom the clipper body and sufficient to overcome the force ofV the detent spring 42. This force may be applied to the cutting head by the thumb of the same hand by which the operator holds the clipper, if desired. After separation of the' detent-latch elements, the cutting head is swung Von its hinge connection with the body toward a position such as illustrated in construction lines in Figure l, or at least through an arc of a magnitude suiiicient to effect disalignment between the cooperating abutments 34 and 3.5, thereupon freeing the cutting head for edgewise movement rearwardly to disengage the fulcrum 2i from the socket on the hinge part 2l. Assembly of dierent cutting heads with the clipper body is, of course, accomplished by reversing this procedure.

yIn the modied embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, inclusive, the cutting head is substantially the same as that here inbefore described but a slightly different type of hinge connection between the head and the clipper body is provided. i As here shown, cooperating hinge parts .56 and 5i are nxed to the clipper body and the cutting head respectively. The body carried hinge part 50 overlies the inclined surface I3 at theriorward extremity of the'clipper bodyyas in the `previous 'andere embodiment but has its rear portion adjacent to the underside of the clipper body spaced from the clipper body by means of an upwardly directed ilange 52 struck from the hinge part and engaged with the clipper body. `Just above the fnange 52, the hinge part 5|! is provided with a pair of laterally spaced apertures 53 in the nature of notches extending inwardlytoward one another from the opposite side edges of the hinge part.

The lower end of the head carried hinge part 5|, which projects beyond thev rear of the stationary cutting blade, has a pair of laterally spaced hook-like extensions 54 thereon which `are offset from the body of the hinge part V5I toward the clipper body and shaped to enter the apertures 53 in the body carried hinge part for the provision of a readily separable hinge connection between the cutting head and thel'clip- `per body. Engagement of the hook-like extensions -5'5 in their cooperating apertures 53 is, of course, effected with the cutting head held in a condition such as illustrated in construction lines in Figure land upon establishment of this connection the cutting head may be swung to its operative position shown in Figure 4 about a hinge axis parallel to the line of reciprocation of the movable cutter but remote therefrom and defined by the engagement between the hook-like extensions 55 and the side edges of the apertures 53.

Attention is directed to the fact that the hooklike extensions 55 each comprise a neck portion 56 which projects through its corresponding aperture 53 in the operative position of the cutting head, and a flange portion 51 which fiatwise engages with the side of the body carried hinge part remote from the cutting head. The flanges 5l thus preclude llatwise motion of the cutting head away from the clipper body while the necks 56 of the hook-like extensions are adapted to engage the upper lateral extremities of the apertures as shown in Figure 4 to preclude edgewise motion of the clipper head relative to the body forwardly in the direction in which the cutting edge of the assembly points.

Edgewise motion of the cutting head rearwardly out of the position illustrated is precluded by means of a detent spring 58 carried by the body hinge part 55. The spring 58 has opposite laterally spaced detent portions 59 adjacent to the opposite sides of the hinge part 50 bent forwardly toward the cutting head assembly and shaped to provide one of the elements of a spring detent. The detent elements which cooperate with the detent portions 5! are formed integral with the hinge part 5| on the cutting head and comprise laterally directed wings 50 bent from the extermitiesof spaced outwardly diverging ilanges 6| struck up from the body of the hinge part 5| at its upper end adjacent to the movable cutting blade.

The wings 60 are spaced a substantial distance above the main portion of the hinge part 5| and are substantially parallel to the plane of the stationary cutting blade, and the lower edges of these wings engage with the free extremities of the detent portions 59 during pivotal motion of the cutting head to its operative position to cam the spring downwardly and thereby allow engagement of the extremities of the detent portions 59 behind the wings and consequently to releasably latch the cutting head firmly in its operative position.

Attention is directed to the fact that the detent portions 59 urge the `cutting head forwardly in the direction in which the cutting edge of the assemblyapoints so as to maintain the necks 56 of the hook-like extensions 54 firmly engaged against the upper sides of the notches 53 in the body carried hinge part, thus eliminating the tendency for Vibration of thev cutting head in a direction normal to reciprocatory motion of the movable cutting blade.

Vibration .o f the cutting head assembly laterally inf-the directionof reciprocation of the movable cutting. bladeis precluded by the engagement of the opposite side edges ofv a tongue 63 struck downwardly .from the upper portion of the body .carried hinge part 50 with the inner surfaces of .the outwardly diverging flanges 6| on the cutter carried hinge part 5| with a wedge action.

.From the foregoing description taken in vconnection with the .accompanying drawings, it will -be apparent that this invention represents a simple but highly Vdesirable improvement in the attachment of unitary cutting assemblies to the bodies or hair clippers without sacrificing rigidity of the cutting assembly while the same is in its operative cutting position.

We claim:

l. In a hair clipper of the type having a body and a cutting head at the front of the body including a stationary cutting blade and a cooperating movable cutting blade reciprocable crosswise of the body, means detachably connecting said cutting head with the body comprising: a pair of cooperating hinge elements, each cornprising a unitary part, one secured on the body and one secured on the stationary cutting blade, one of said hinge elements having a hooked portion remote from the cutting edge of the head and the other having a shoulder adapted to be readily detachably engaged by said hooked portion upon substantially edgewise motion of the cutting head relative to the body in one direction transverse to the direction of blade reciprocation to thereby establish a hinge connection between the cutting head and the body by which the cutting head may be swung ilatwise rearwardly about an axis parallel to the direction of blade reciprocation from a disassembling position with its blades spaced from the front of the body to an operative position with its blades adjacent to the front of the body, cooperating abutments on the hinge elements providing surfaces paralle1 to the hinge axis and adapted to interengage when the cutting head is swung to its operative position to thereby preclude hinge disconnecting relative motion between said hinge elements, said hinge elements also having cooperating abutments providing surfaces normal to the hinge axis and interengaged when said cutting head is in its operative position to preclude sideward relative displacement of the hinge parts in the direction of blade reciprocation; and means for yieldingly holding the cutting head against swinging motion to its disassembling position, said means comprising a keeper integral with one of said hinge elements, and a spring detent carried by the other hinge element and engaged behind said keeper in the operative position of the cutting head.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said spring detent includes a spring element bearing against the keeper in such a manner as to exert upon the hinge element carried by the cutting blade a force which is in the direction in which the hinge 7 Y connection between the elements is established. f 3. In a hair clipper of the type having a body and a unitary cutting head at. the front ofthe body including a stationary cutting blade anda cooperating movable cutting blade reciproca-ble crosswise of the body, means detachably connecting'said cutting head with the bodycomprising: a, hinge plate iixed on the body and having a pair of apertures; a second hinge plate fixed on the stationary cutting blade at the rear portion thereof'andV having laterally spaced hook-like extensions projecting from the rear of the stationary :blade and adapted to be received in said apertures in the irst-named plate to provide a readily separable hinge connection between the cutting head and the body whereby engagement of said hook-like extensions in the apertures of said -rst-named hinge plate enables flatwise swinging motion of the cutting head to and from an operative cutting position adjacent to said end of the body about an axis parallel to the direction of blade reciprocation, said hook-like extensions 8 Y cooperating with the edges of the apertures to preclude edgewise displacement of the stationary Y rcutting. blade in the plane of said reciprocation;

and meansior yieldingly holding the cutting head Al-against swinging motion. toY its disassembling position, said means comprising a keeper integral with one of said hinge elements and a spring detent carried by the other hinge element and engaged behind said keeper vin the operative position of the cutting head.

CECIL VAN ARMBRUSTER. ERIC BYLUND. Y

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Cromonic Dec. 22, 1942 

